Radio PSA
Bronze Anvil Winner

Date: 04/10/2003


VIRGINIA LEGENDS WALK

Program Overview – Virginia Legends Walk (VLW) was conceived as a permanent way to honor great Virginians, past and present, while advancing public and student knowledge of the global achievements of those selected. The secondary objectives were to solicit public input statewide and increase awareness of the state’s largest city and resort.

PSA Objectives – The City of Virginia Beach’s leadership wanted PSAs to help:
1. To solicit 50 qualified nominations from residents statewide within the 45-day nomination period.
2. To secure pro bono support of a Virginia celebrity to elevate awareness of the program.
3. To generate interest in the state’s newest, free educational and tourism attraction, following its opening, as evidenced by inquiries at resort hotels and information centers in Virginia Beach.
4. To provide a vehicle for corporate sponsor recognition, as there was no public funding.
5. To expand Virginians’ pride in their ancestry, across all ethnic lines and age groups.

PSA Audiences – Multiple audiences had to be attracted to the PSAs:
1. Nine Virginia celebrities, who could possibly become Legends, were identified and asked for pro bono talent on the PSAs: Grammy Award winners Bruce Hornsby and Dave Matthews, Tony Award winner Ruth Brown, two-time U.S. Golf Open Champion Curtis Strange, NFL All-Pro Bruce Smith, Oscar winner Robert Duval, NBC’s Katie Couric, NASCAR’s Ricky Rudd, and Willard Scott.
2. Every radio station program director or PSA director in the state.
3. Listeners on every radio format in the state.

PSA Budget – While the value and need for PSAs was undeniable, the unfortunate situation was that no line-item in the City’s budget would fund them. To this end, the agency had to develop pro bono support.
1. Celebrity talent on the PSAs was a gratis gift to VLW.
2. Recording of the celebrity spots was done gratis of Sprint PCS.
3. Production of the PSAs (both a :60 and a :30) was done gratis by a Virginia Beach studio.
4. The same studio provided 400 professionally dubbed PSA tapes for $200.
5. Mailing costs of approximately $210 were absorbed by the agency as a gift to VLW.
6. Introductory and follow-up calls to radio were pro bono by the agency.

PSA Results – The PSAs widely contributed to the success of VLW:
1. A total of 101 qualified candidates were nominated, more than double VLW’s 45-day goal.
2. More than 1,000 Virginians submitted candidates, tracked to cities where radio had broadcast PSAs
3. Four celebrities agreed to participate in the PSAs, but professional schedules for two were in conflict.
4. Bruce Hornsby of Williamsburg and Ruth Brown of Portsmouth enthusiastically recorded PSAs and allowed their music to be used for background.
5. VLW was dedicated in mid-July, but dozens of hotel operators in Virginia Beach’s resort reported many tourists asking for the location of VLW, based on radio “ads” heard in their hometowns.
6. 370 radio stations statewide received the PSAs. Through phone verification, the agency received confirmation that 206 stations broadcast the PSAs, most using the 30-second mix. Of these, 117 used the PSAs at least 10 times a week. Another 23 rotated the PSAs at least 20 times a week. And 9 stations said they rotated the PSA spots more than 30 times a week. Although the agency recognized the importance of tracking statewide radio impressions, the very limited budget did not allow it.
7. While some stations’ formats did not support the PSAs’ talent (religious, sports, etc.), another 27 stations noted they used the PSAs as a source of news stories through their announcers.
8. Sprint PCS contributed $25,000 cash toward VLW capital costs, in large part as a result of their being mentioned in the PSAs. This generous gift ignited other Virginia corporations’ interest, and more than $100,000 (cash and services) ultimately was donated to VLW.
9. Virginia history teachers in the state called to say their students had heard the PSAs and wanted to submit their nominations.
10. Hornsby and Brown agreed to help again; and five other celebrities agreed, schedules permitting.